Apparatus for assembling piles of printed signatures into batches

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for assembling piles of newspapers and the like, comprising a pile-advancing rollerway and a pair of shafts extending at both sides of this rollerway and carrying a pair of oppositely arranged S-shaped levers defining therebetween a pile assembling zone. The shafts are driven for opposite timed rotation, so that the arms of the levers pass through the space intermediate of the rollers of the rollerways, move toward each other and overlap to raise a pile and to hold it in the assembling zone, whereafter the arms spread apart to lower the pile onto the successive pile, so that a batch is formed. A pair of drums is mounted in advance of the assembling zone longitudinally of the rollerway to guide a pile into the zone; mounted in this assembling zone, in front of the S-shaped levers, are vertically extending driven rollers adapted to effect positive levelling of the lateral sides of the pile. The provision of the drums and of the driven rollers prevent displacement and skewing of a pile relative to the longitudinal axis of the rollerway, thus providing high quality batches assembled from the piles.

United States Patent Anikanov et al.

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING PILES OF PRINTED SIGNATURES INTO BATCHESInventors: Nikolai Ivanovich Anikanov,

Bolshaya Bronnaya ulitsa, 2/6, kv. 6, Moscow; Evgeny ArkadievichBaburin, prospekt Romena Rollana, 25, kv. 264, Kiev; Leonid PavlovichGrachev, ulitsa Serafimovicha, 2, kv. 181, Moscow; Grigory IosifovichZax, ulitsa Mechnikova, 14a, kv. 24, Kiev; Mikhail Evseevich Frumkin,Naberezhnaya Novikova-Priboya, 9, kv. 34; Grigory Avramovich Radutsky,l6 Parkovaya ulitsa, 49, korpus 2, kv. 68, both of Moscow; RafailEfimovich Kheifets, Brest-Litovsky prospekt, 162, kv. 30, Kiev, all ofU.S.S.R.

Filed: Nov. 12, 1973 Appl. No.: 415,166

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 13, 1973 U.S.S.R 1899753 US. Cl93/93 R; 214/6 BA; 214/6 S Int. Cl 365g 57/30; B3lb l/98 Field of Search214/6 BA, 6 S, 6 R;

93/93 R, 93 DP, 93 C References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1923Batcheller 93/93 R 11/1956 Adams 214/6 S 2,947,125 8/1960 Wilson et al.214/6 BA x 3,450,275 6/1969 Carlen, Jr 3,568,860 3 1971 Rawlins3,623,618 11/1971 Shaw 2l4/8.5 K

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 956,664 4/1964 United Kingdom 214/6 sPrimary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner.lames F. Coan Attorney,Agent, or Firml-lolman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for assemblingpiles of newspapers and the like, comprising a pile-advancing rollerwayand a pair of shafts extending at both sides of this rollerway andcarrying a pair of oppositely arranged S-shaped levers definingtherebetween a pile assembling zone. The shafts are driven for oppositetimed rotation, so that the arms of the levers pass through the spaceintermediate of the rollers of the rollerways, move toward each otherand overlap to raise a pile and to hold it in the assembling zone,whereafter the arms spread apart to lower the pile onto the successivepile, so that a batch is formed. A pair of drums is mounted in advanceof the assembling zone longitudinally of the rollerway to guide a pileinto the zone; mounted in this assembling zone, in front of the S-shapedlevers, are vertically extending driven rollers adapted to effectpositive levelling of the lateral sides of the pile. The provision ofthe drums and of the driven rollers prevent displacement and skewing ofa pile relative to the longitudinal axis of the rollerway, thusproviding high quality batches assembled from the piles.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING PILES OF PRINTEDSIGNATURES INTO BATCHES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionpresents a further improvement of the apparatus disclosed in theco-pending application Ser. No. 343,163 filed Mar. 3, 1973, now US. Pat.No. 3,831,781, and, more particularly, it relates to an apparatus forassembling piles of printed signatures into batches.

The present invention can be used to utmost advantage for assemblingpiles of folded newspapers into multi-pile batches.

In the present disclosure, the expression a pile of printed signaturesis used to described an arbitrary number of printed signatures, e.g.newspapers placed one on top of another and aligned so that all thecross folds of the signatures are facing in the same direction.

The expression a batch of printed signatures is meant to described anassembly of piles placed one on top of another, with the cross folds ofsuccessive piles alternating in the batch, i.e. the folds of an adjacentpair of piles in the batch facing in the opposite directions.

The abovespecified pattern of assembling piles into multipile batchesprevents the batches from crumbling as they are advanced for successivehandling, e.g. for packaging.

In the above-mentioned previously filed co-pending Application anapparatus is described for assembling piles of newspapers into batches,comprising a rollerway for advancing piles of newspapers, the rollers ofthis rollerway being mounted so that the ends thereof are free, a pairof shafts extending at the opposite sides of this rollerwaylongitudinally thereof, the shafts carrying a pair of oppositely mountedS-shaped levers defining therebetween a pile assembling zone. The shaftsare driven for timed opposing rotation so that the arms of these leverspass through a space intermediate of the free ends of the rollers of therollerway and then move toward each other and partly overlap to raise apile which has been advanced into the assembling zone and to hold thispile, whereafter the arms are spread apart by continuing rotation of theshafts to lower the pile onto a successive pile advanced by therollerway, so that a batch is formed.

The abovedescribed apparatus ensures reliable and stable assembling ofpiles into batches, provided for by the operation of the S-shapedlevers. However, in this apparatus a pile may fail to reach theassembling zone. This might occur on account of the fact that the pileis advanced by the rollerway in a somewhat arbitrary manner, i.e. thepile may either be displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe rollerway, or else it might be skewed relative thereto, or both,whereby the advanced pile may then abut against one of the levers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an apparatus for assembling piles of printed signatures intobatches, that provides for a high quality assembling operation.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide anapparatus which prevents skewing and displacement of piles with respectto the longitudinal axis of the rollerway.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anapparatus preventing friction of the signatures against the S-shapedlevers defining the assembling zone.

These and other objects are attained in an apparatus for assemblingpiles of printed signatures into batches, comprising a rollerway foradvancing the piles, the rollers of this rollerway being mounted so thatthe ends of these rollers are free, a pair of shafts extending alongthis rollerway at both sides thereof, the shafts carrying a pair ofS-shaped levers mounted in opposition to each other and definingtherebetween a pile assembling zone. The shafts are associated withdrive means effecting timed opposing rotation thereof, so that the armsof the levers pass through a space intermediate of the free ends of therollers of the rollerway, whereafter the arms move toward each other andpartly overlap to raise a pile advanced by the rollerway into theassembling zone and to hold this pile in this zone. Continuing rotationof the shafts then spread the arms apart to lower the pile onto asuccessive pile advanced by the rollerway into the assembling zone, sothat a batch is formed, which apparatus, in accordance with the presentinvention, further comprises a pair of drums mounted on driven arborsand arranged in advance of the assembling zone longitudinally of therollerway at both sides thereof, these drums being adapted to guide apile into the assembling zone mounted within the assembling zone infront of the S-shaped levers is a plurality of vertically extendingdriven rollers forming two parallel vertical arrays, the last-mentionedrollers being adapted to effect positive levelling of the lateral sidesof a pile, as the latter is advanced by the rollerway into theassembling zone. The provision of the drums prevents skewing anddisplacement of the piles relative to the longitudinal axis of therollerway, since a displaced or skewed pile is bound to engage one ofthe drums, to be aligned by the rotation of the drum with thelongitudinal axis of the rollerway, whereby the pile is properlyindexed, as it enters the assembling zone. Furthermore, the provision inthe assembling zone itself of vertically arranged driven rollerslikewise prevents skewing or displacement of the piles relative to thelongitudinal axis of the rollerway, the last-mentioned rollers alsoeffecting levelling of the sides of the piles, the pile permanentlyengaging the rollers to prevent collapse thereof, i.e. the rollers actas the guides of a pile in the assembling zone.

To simplify the structure of the apparatus and to facilitatemaintenance, it is preferable that the driven arbors of the drums andthe vertically arranged rollers receive rotation from the rollers of therollerway. This is preferably attained by bevelling the free ends of therollers of the rollerway, one end of the driven arbor of each one of thedrums also being beveled for cooperation with the beveled end of acorresponding one of the rollers of the rollerway, while each one of thevertically arranged rollers has one of its ends journalled in a bracket,whereas the opposite end of this roller is beveled for cooperation withthe beveled end of the respective roller of the rollerway, whereby inoperation the two drums are rotated in opposite directions, and thevertical rollers are rotated in the direction of rotation of the rollersof the rollerway.

When piles of printed signatures, e.g. newspapers are assembled intobatches by the S-shaped levers, there is the possibility that thebottommost newspaper in the pile might be displaced on account offriction against the levers. This displacement impedes furtherassembling of batches and affects the quality of the assembled batches.Furthermore, friction against the levers might affect the appearance ofthe newspaper. To prevent this eventuality, it is advisable that each ofthe S- shaped levers include a pair of parallel S-shaped platesinterconnected by a common spindle having mounted thereon freelyrotatable roller means minimizing friction between the bottom plane ofthe pile and the levers. The rollers are preferably made of a materialdisplaying oleophobic properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS So that the present invention may bebetter understood, given hereinbelow is a detailed description of anembodiment of the invention, with reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for assembling piles ofprinted signatures into batches in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line IIII of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is asectional view along line IIIIII of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IVIV of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line V-V in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now inparticular to the appended drawings, the apparatus of the inventionincludes a rollerway 1 (FIG. 1) for advancing successive piles 2 ofnewspapers, the rollers 3 of this rollerway being mounted so that theends of the rollers are free and a space 4 is left intermediate theseends of the rollers 3. At both sides of the rollerway l, longitudinallythereof, a pair of shafts 5 (FIG. 2) for carrying a respective pair ofopposing S-shaped levers 6 is mounted defining therebetween anassembling zone for assembling piles 2 advanced by the rollerway 1. Theshafts 5 are driven for timed rotation in opposing directions through agear train 7 (FIG. 1) from a drive of any known structure suitable forthe purpose. Furthermore, the drive system includes a mechanism forpositively arresting the shafts 5 in two specified angular positions,which mechanism is described in detail in the abovementioned copendingapplication. One of the two positions corresponds to the shafts havingbeen turned together with the levers 6 through 180, during whichrotation the arms pass through the space 4 intermediate the free ends ofthe rollers 3, move toward each other to partly overlap and lift thepile that has been advanced by the rollerway into the pile assemblingzone, in which position the arms hold the pile within this zone. Theother position corresponds to the shafts 5 having been turned through anangle sufficient for the arms to be spread apart and to lower the pileheld thereby onto a successive pile advanced by the rollerway 1, so thata batch is formed.

The rollers 3 (FIG. 1) of the rollerway are rotated by the sprockets 8fixed on the respective spindles of the rollers 3, the sprockets 8 beingconnected through a driving chain 9 to sprockets 10 journalled in theframework 11 of the apparatus. One of the sprockets 10 is connectedthrough a driving chain 12 to a driving sprocket 13 also journalled inthe framework 11 of the apparatus.

To prevent skewing and displacement of piles 2 relative to thelongitudinal axis of the rollerway 1, two drums 14 supported on drivenarbors 15 are mounted in advance of the assembling zone along both sidesof the rollerway, respectively, (FIG. 3). The arbors receive rotationfrom the rollers 3 of the rollerway 1 by one end 16 of each arbor beingbeveled and cooperating with the free end 17 of a corresponding one ofthe rollers 3 of the rollerway 1, which free end is likewise beveled.With the arbors 15 of the drums 14 being driven in this manner, thedrums are synchronously rotated in opposing directions, corresponding tothat of rotation of the rollers 3.

In the assembling itself the piles may also become skewed and displacedrelative to the longitudinal axis of the rollerway; newspapers in a pilemay also become displaced relative to one another. To prevent this, itis essential that the lateral sides of the piles are positively levelledout. Therefore, mounted in the assembling zone in front of the S-shapedlevers 6 (FIG. 2) are extending driven rollers 18 forming two parallelarrays and performing positive levelling of the lateral sides of thepiles. The rollers 18 are rotated by the rollers 3 of the rollerway 1,one end of each roller 18 being journalled by its spindle 19 (FIG. 4) ina bracket 20, the opposite free end 21 of each roller 18 being beveledand cooperating with the free beveled end 17 of a corresponding one ofthe rollers 3 of the rollerway 1. This driving pattern provides foropposing rotation of the two arrays of the rollers 18, corresponding tothe direction of rotation of the rollers 3 of the rollerway 1.

To prevent friction of the bottommost newspaper in a pile 2 against thelevers 6, the latter are each made in the form of a pair of parallelS-shaped plates 22 (FIG. 5) interconnected by a spindle 23 havingrollers 24 freely rotatably mounted thereon and made of a materialdisplaying oleophobic properties, the rollers minimizing friction of thebottommost newspaper in the pile against the levers 6.

Operation of the apparatus When the drive (not shown) of the hereindisclosed apparatus is energized, the rollers 3 of the rollerway receiverotation through a driving train formed by the abovespecified elements8, 9, 10, 12 and 13, whereas the shafts 5 with the S-shaped levers 6 arerotated through gear trains 7.

Thus, a pile 2 of newspapers on the rollerway 1 is being advanced twoardthe assembling zone defined by the S-shaped levers 6. Since the shafts 5are rotated to gether with the levers 6, the latter engage the pile frombelow, lift it off the rollerway and hold it above the assembling zoneuntil a successive pile 2 is advanced into the assembling zone.

As the shafts 5 continue to rotate the pile-supporting arms of thelevers 6 are spread apart, whereby the pile 2 which has been held by thearms of the levers is placed on top of the new pile, so that a batch isformed. The operation of assembling piles into batches and delivery ofthe assembled batches from the assembling zone are described in detailin the abovementioned copending application and thus are not describedin detail here.

However, as a pile 2 is being advanced by the rollerway 1, the pile maybecome skewed or displaced relative to the longitudinal axis of therollerway, so that the pile abuts against either one of the two drums14.

Since the beveled end 16 of the arbor of each drum l4 cooperate with thebeveled free end 17 of the respective roller 3, the drums 14 are rotatedin directions corresponding to that of rotation of the rollers 3. Thisrotation of the drums ensures that a displaced or skewed pile is alignedwith respect to the longitudinal axis of the rollerway l and isaccurately guided into the assembling zone.

Within the assembling zone itself a pile may also become displacedand/or skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the rollerway, tothereby impede the assembling operation, since in this case the skewedor displaced pile abuts into either one of the S-shaped levers 6.However, with the vertically extending rollers 18 being mounted in twoarrays in front of the respective levers 6, and the beveled ends 21 ofthe rollers 18 cooperating with the beveled ends 17 of the rotatingrollers 3 of the rollerway, the displaced pile has its lateral sideslevelled by these rotating rollers 18, and the operation of assembling abatch is normalized.

The freely rotatable rollers 24 minimize friction of the bottommostnewspapers in a pile 2 against the levers 6, whereby appearance of thepile is not affected.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for assembling piles of printed signatures into batches,comprising: a rollerway for advancing the piles, and having a pluralityof rollers mounted so that the ends thereof are free to thereby define aplurality of spaces respectively between each adjacent one of saidrollers; two rotatably mounted shafts extending longitudinally of saidrollerway one at each side thereof; a pair of S-shaped levers havingarms and mounted in opposition to each other on said shafts and definingtherebetween a zone for assembling the piles successively advanced bysaid rollerway, said shafts being arranged for timed rotation inopposite directions so that the arms of said levers pass through saidplurality of spaces and move toward each other and overlap,

whereby a pile advanced into said assembling zone is lifted by the armsof said shafts and is held in said zone and continuing rotation of saidshafts causes said arms to spread apart to lower said pile onto asucceeding pile advanced by said rollerway so as to form a batch; twodriven arbors respectively arranged longitudinally of said rollerway atboth sides thereof in advance of said assembling zone; a rotatable drummounted on each of said two driven arbors for guiding a pile of printedsignatures into said assembling zone; a plurality of driven rollersarranged in said assembling zone in front of said S-shaped levers, saiddriven rollers extending vertically and forming two parallel arrays foreffecting positive levelling of the lateral sides of a pile of printedsignatures, as the latter is being advanced in said assembling zone bysaid rollerway.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of therollers of said rollerway have said free ends beveled, each one of saiddriven arbors having a bevelled end thereof for driving cooperation withsaid bevelled free end of a respective one of said rollers of saidrollerway; a bracket; a spindle journalled in said bracket each one ofsaid driven rollers having one end thereof supported by said bracket andhaving the opposite end thereof bevelled for driving cooperation withthe bevelled end of a respective one of the rollers of said rollerway,whereby said driven rollers rotate in opposite directions correspondingto the direction of rotation of the rollers of said rollerway.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said S-shaped leverincludes a pair of parallel S-shaped plates; at least one spindlesecured in said plates; roller means mounted for free rotation on saidspindle to minimize friction between the bottom plane of a pile ofprinted signature and said levers.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said roller meansminimizing friction between the bottom plane ofa pile and said levers ismade of a material having oleophobic properties.

1. An apparatus for assembling piles of printed signatures into batches,comprising: a rollerway for advancing the piles, and having a pluralityof rollers mounted so that the ends thereof are free to thereby define aplurality of spaces respectively between each adjacent one of saidrollers; two rotatably mounted shafts extending longitudinally of saidrollerway one at each side thereof; a pair of S-shaped levers havingarms and mounted in opposition to each other on said shafts and definingtherebetween a zone for assembling the piles successively advanced bysaid rollerway, said shafts being arranged for timed rotation inopposite directions so that the arms of said levers pass through saidplurality of spaces and move toward each other and overlap, whereby apile advanced into said assembling zone is lifted by the arms of saidshafts and is held in said zone and continuing rotation of said shaftscauses said arms to spread apart to lower said pile onto a succeedingpile advanced by said rollerway so as to form a batch; two driven arborsrespectively arranged longitudinally of said rollerway at both sidesthereof in advance of said assembling zone; a rotatable drum mounted oneach of said two driven arbors for guiding a pile of printed signaturesinto said assembling zone; a plurality of driven rollers arranged insaid assembling zone in front of said Sshaped levers, said drivenrollers extending vertically and forming two parallel arrays foreffecting positive levelling of the lateral sides of a pile of printedsignatures, as the latter is being advanced in said assembling zone bysaid rollerway.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at leastone of the rollers of said rollerway have said free ends beveled, eachone of said driven arbors having a bevelled end thereof for drivingcooperation with said bevelled free end of a respective one of saidrollers of said rollerway; a bracket; a spindle journalled in saidbracket each one of said driven rollers having one end thereof supportedby said bracket and having the opposite end thereof bevelled for drivingcooperation with the bevelled end of a respective one of the rollers ofsaid rollerway, whereby said driven rollers rotate in oppositedirections corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rollers ofsaid rollerway.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each saidS-shaped lever includes a pair of parallel S-shaped plates; at least onespindle secured in said plates; roller means mounted for free rotationon said spindle to minimize friction between the bottom plane of a pileof printed signature and said levers.
 4. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 3, wherein said roller means minimizing friction between thebottom plane of a pile and said levers is made of a material havingoleophobic properties.